Poultry News

Attitudes to Carcass Treatments Surveyed

07 May 2013

UK - The risk of food poisoning can be reduced by using slaughterhouse decontamination treatments on raw meat. Consumers have told the Food Standards Agency what they think about which treatments they would find acceptable.

According to the survey’s findings, rapid chilling of meat and the application of hot water or steam emerged as the two treatments consumers would find most acceptable.

Treatments using lactic acid and ozone were initially considered less acceptable, however, when consumers were given extra information on lactic acid, its acceptability increased significantly.

The survey was carried out as part of the Agency’s work to reduce the levels of campylobacter on raw poultry.

More than 2,000 people across the UK gave their views on potential decontamination treatments for poultry and beef from four treatment options:

rapid chilling – this exposes the surface of the meat to extreme cold to rapidly reduce its temperature for a short time without freezing the flesh

lactic acid – the meat is sprayed with a solution of dilute lactic acid, a naturally occurring substance present in foods such as yoghurt

hot water or steam – the meat passes through a hot water bath or is exposed to steam in a chamber or tunnel

ozone – the meat is exposed to ozone gas or dipped into or sprayed with water containing ozone.

The survey found that consumer responses on the acceptability of the treatments were mixed:

Immediate reaction to lactic acid and ozone treatments was strongly negative (only 15 per cent and 12 per cent, respectively, found them acceptable). However, the acceptability of lactic acid treatment rose with some additional explanation and became positive overall, with 54 per cent finding it acceptable.

Immediate reaction to rapid chilling treatment was positive, with 51 per cent finding it acceptable and 30 per cent unacceptable. Acceptability rose significantly when people were told treated meat could safely be frozen after purchase, with 69 per cent then finding it acceptable.

Reaction to hot water or steam treatment was overall neutral, with 41 per cent finding it acceptable and 40 per cent unacceptable.

“We have to ensure that whatever interventions we might adopt; they must not damage consumer confidence in food.

He added: “The findings suggest that providing clear information about the treatments, such as what they are and how they work, would have a positive impact on the public’s acceptability of new treatments such as these.”

These findings will now be taken into account by the government-industry Joint Working Group on Campylobacter, which is working on developing new interventions that will reduce Campylobacter.

They will help to inform how interventions that are effective in reducing Campylobacter can be implemented successfully and maintain consumers' confidence in their food.